A truck that wrecked on I-65 southbound near the 196 mile marker is pulled from the median after cows were offloaded from the trailer. The Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013 accident closed southbound traffic for several hours while the livestock were transferred to other trailers and the truck and trailer were removed. Neither the driver of the truck nor the drivers of two other vehicles involved in the crash were hurt. (Frank Couch/fcouch@al.com)

AUTAUGA COUNTY, Alabama -- Three cattle were killed and five others euthanized after a cattle trailer overturned early Sunday, shutting down a 14-mile section of Interstate 65.

The wreck occurred about 2:30 a.m. Sunday in the southbound lanes near mile marker 196, between Verbena and Prattville.

The driver was talking with a coworker when the truck drifted into the median, Alabama Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Robyn Litchfield said. As she tried to correct the vehicle, it flipped.

Of the 36 cattle in the trailer, two died on impact. Five cattle were injured and later euthanized, and four ran loose.

Two of the loose cattle were struck by other vehicles and one died, Litchfield said.

None of the drivers or occupants of the vehicles were injured in the three separate crashes.

The driver was not issued a citation, Litchfield said.

I-65 was closed in both directions for about 14 miles between Prattville and Verbena for several hours.

Deputies from Autauga and Chilton counties rerouted traffic to other roads including U.S. 31. through Sunday afternoon, aggravating already heavy weekend traffic between Montgomery and Birmingham.